Hi, does anybody have difficulty swallowing? What I mean is, when you drink water or even your own saliva, do you feal like it doesn't do down easy, like you have to push it down? And what about mucous? I feal like I have to cough up mucous every morning. Sorry for being gross.

I have the same swallowing difficulties you describe. I wonder if it is related in any way to sjogrens? I notice it mostly when I have dry mouth and then I just drink extra water. As for coughing up mucous - is it possible you have pnuemonia or bronchitis?

There are A/I diseases that attack your esophagas. I'm kind of surprised your doctor hasn't asked you about it et. You really need to inform him/her. I have to take meds for mine. It feels like I swollowed a cannnon ball some times and I have to take a peice of bread to push it down with. it hurts all the way through to my back. It is an important step to etting answers for both of you ladies. You really need to discuss it with you docs.

I did a bit of research on the net about Lupus and difficulty swallowing.....I read some people with Lupus has difficulty swallowing because Lupus can affect you muscles in your throat that control swallowing.

Lupus often causes serious swallowing problems. I have lupus but also have polymyositis which is a rare inflammatory muscle disease. For several months I could not even swallow my own saliva and had a peg (feeding) tube in my stomach. Not fun but it is better than an IV.

Most of the swallowing problems are related to some type of muscle weakness. Either or both laryngheal elevation and back of your tongue do not work properly...in my case, not at all. After 3 months of intensive therapy I was able to swallow again.

See a speech pathologist and have a video swallow test. They xray your swallowing to determine exactly where the problem is.

If you ignore it the swallowing might get worse and you risk aspiratio and choking or pneumoia. The condition is called dysphagia and is usually treatable. My case was so severe that it was written up in medical journals. Today, I can eat and drink anything with only occasional problems...life is good again and being without food ingested normally is not fun.

I was seeing a ENT for two years because of this problem, had cat scans and swallowing test (I think it's called a barium swallow) where they film you while you swallow some liquid. Which showed NOTHING! I don't really have a real hard time swallowing, it's just that when I swallow my own saliva or liquids, it feels like I have to 'push' it down.

Bill, That is GREAT that after having a tube stuck in your belly, you now are able to swallow on your own. How awful that must have been for you. I read some medical article on the net stating that with Lupus, you can have your esophageal muscles affected.

It is not that uncommon in lupus and is often treatable with speech therapy. The barium swallow test is the standard test and should have shown that you have difficulty. You have symptoms and your doctor should have recommended therapy. It seems not appropriate at first and is actually difficult to do but it can help your swallowing if you persist. They will also train you on strategies to help your swallowing.

You are right that being unable to swallow anything is not fun...it was awful. I was happier about being able to swallow again than to walk again. Sometimes I wake up and think the whole thing was just a bad dream.